[nagdu] Political Correctness ?? and rudness

Sun Mar 25 13:00:00 UTC 2012

I aggree with you Julie about the descriptive and the movement as well.  I 
am a relatively oppen person.  I used to be able to see when I was a kid and 
both of myy eyes iether came out the right or were removed the left by the 
time I was 10.  So, of course, I am blind as a bat!  Correction, bats can se 
some!  But, I also sometimes don't want to have folks remember that as the 
first and most relevant thing about me!  While blind, I have accomplished 
many things that able bodied folks can't get there heads around!  I was an 
athlete, I'm a husband and father, I play flute and so many other things! 
I'm quite comfortible with the blindness and when asked I'll be happpy to 
explain whatever but not under every situation.  I do reserve the right to 
not explain as well.  I also use my right to not put my blindness up front 
when it seems advantagious not to do so.
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Julie J." <julielj at neb.rr.com>
To: "NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users" 
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Sunday, March 25, 2012 8:32 AM
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Political Correctness ?? and rudness


> Mardi,
>
> I tell people I'm blind for a few reasons.  First it's how I identify 
> myself.  I do have a bit of usable vision, but for most things I prefer to 
> use a non visual alternative.  I am comfortable with the word blind.  It's 
> who I am.
>
> The second reason I say blind is because it is shorter.  Sure the word 
> itself is shorter, but the conversation about my private medical details 
> are also shorter when I use the word blind.  If I tell someone that I'm 
> visually impaired, and I did used to use this terminology, it seems to 
> invite a conversation about just exactly how much I can see, in what 
> circumstances, on which day of the week, in what colors and what the 
> underlying medical cause is.  Really I can live without all of that.  If I 
> say I'm blind, then that is that and we can move directly on to what is 
> important in that particular interaction.   Sometimes I will do something 
> or say something that cues the person in to the fact that I do have a bit 
> of vision.  Sometimes they will ask if I can see some.  I just say "yes, a 
> small bit" and do not elaborate.  I gently but firmly move the 
> conversation back to the important bits.
>
> I think the whole PC movement is silly.  I think it was invented by  able 
> bodied, straight, white men who are a bit uncomfortable but won't admit it 
> with people who are different.   I always put the adjective before the 
> noun just as I do with any other descriptive words.  I say blind person 
> not person who is blind, just as I say red sweater, not sweater which is 
> red.
>
> Perhaps my choice of the word blind has these effects or perhaps it is my 
> comfort level with myself, my identity and my blindness.  I don't know, 
> but I can say for certain that I have a lot less intrusive and 
> inappropriate conversations since making this shift.
>
> All my best,
> Julie
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> On 3/25/2012 12:31 AM, Mardi Hadfield wrote:
>> I have a political correctness question. I have been referring to my self
>> as legally blind. I don't call my self blind, as I feel that might 
>> mislead
>> other people into thinking that I am totally blind.I do have some
>> sight,though it is diminishing.I am also deaf in one ear.I don't refer to
>> my self as Deafblind as I can still hear. I just can't tell where that
>> sound is coming from.As a matter of fact, I seldom even mention that I 
>> have
>> a hearing problem.I have mentioned it on this list due to some of the
>> threds that have been discussed here. Is it the right thing to call my 
>> self
>> a legally blind person? If not, what should I say to people.I often get
>> asked if my dog is a wheelchair dog or a guide dog.They ask me, why do I
>> need a guide dog if I am using a wheelchair. I guess they think that only
>> people that can walk become blind?I actually dread talking about this as 
>> I
>> end up explaining all about how I have spinal stenosis and that is why I
>> use a wheelchair and then how I was affected by brain damage  and then
>> affected by macular degeneration, and that is why I am legally blind. 
>> Then
>> I have to explain legal blindness. I am a very private person and hate
>> answering all these questions. But some how they always ask.Some times I
>> just don't answer and then people think I am rude. All this while they 
>> are
>> usually petting my dog. How do others on this list handle this situation?
>> Mardi and Shaman and Tipton,future GDIT.
>>
>
>
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